Flash drive linux pc?

[Freewill]

I'm looking to fiddle around with more linux, I've used ubuntu as a dual boot roughly 5 years ago, and elementary OS as a flash drive test drive (didn't have persistent storage, ignorance on my part). I was curious about using the linux live usb creator to make a flash drive pc that I can keep a couple of applications on, mostly just schoolwork. I really only want to have access to an IDE and sql, netbeans or intelliJ are preferable to me, the stickler I'm finding out is SQL server. SQL documentation says it supports ubuntu (like 16.0). I'm looking at either ubuntu or manjaro, open to other options of course, I'm not very familiar with compatibility across the distros which is holding me back thus far.

[Steven123123]

Microsoft's SQL server?

[Freewill]

thats right